The 2004 United States presidential election in North Carolina took place on November 2, 2004, and was part of the 2004 United States presidential election. Voters chose 15 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president. North Carolina was won by incumbent President George W. Bush by a 12.44% margin of victory. Prior to the election, all 12 news organizations considered this a state Bush would win, or a red state. North Carolina was also the home state of Democratic Party vice presidential nominee John Edwards, who was then representing the state in the United States Senate. This was not enough for Democrats to break Republican success in this state since Jimmy Carter's victory in 1976. While winning the state comfortably, Bush's margin of 12.44% was 0.39% lower than his 2000 performance, making it the only Southern state to swing more Democratic than 2000. Bush became the first Republican to win the White House without carrying Mecklenburg or Guilford Counties since Calvin Coolidge in 1924. Primaries 2004 North Carolina Democratic presidential caucuses Campaign Predictions There were 12 news organizations who made state-by-state predictions of the election. Here are their last predictions before election day. D.C. Political Report: Likely Republican Associated Press: Leans Bush CNN: Bush Cook Political Report: Leans Republican Newsweek: Leans Bush New York Times: Solid Bush Rasmussen Reports: Bush Research 2000: Leans Bush Washington Post: Bush Washington Times: Solid Bush Zogby International: Bush Washington Dispatch: Bush Polling Bush won every single pre-election poll. The final 3 poll average showed Bush leading 52% to 44%. Fundraising Bush raised $4,465,160. Kerry raised $2,049,794. Advertising and visits Neither campaign advertised or visited the state during the fall campaign. Analysis John Edwards failed to make his home state competitive in the general election. In 2000, George W. Bush had performed strongly in most of the South, including North Carolina, which he had won by 12.83%. As in most of the rest of the South, he did so once again in North Carolina, notwithstanding Edwards' presence on the Democratic ticket, although his margin of victory did go down slightly, to 12.44%, even as nationally he improved from losing the popular vote by 0.5% to winning it by 2.5%. Bush consistently led in polling leading up to election day. Bush won a majority of the 100 counties and congressional districts. The only region in the state that Kerry